Permutation lock



' 17 1927. May F. DE CURTIS PERMUTATION LOCK Filed Oct. 23, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet l May 17, r1927. 1,628,712

F., DE CURTIS PERMUTATION LOCK Filed oct. 3, 19254 z sheets-sheet 2Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRANK DE CURTIS, 0F MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

PERMUTATICN LOCK.

Application iled October 23, 1925.` Serial No. 64,344.

`The chief object of' the invention is to provide an improved andsimplified permutation lock of compact form, adapted :tor use in lockingthe steering-wheel ot a` motor vehicle, as wellas for other uses.

Another object is to provide a lock having registering means, adapted to`guide the operator by a series of audible signals, during the operationof retracting the `lock bolt.

The invent-ion is embodied in the improvelnents lwhich I will nowproceed to dev scribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is atop plan view ot a motorvehicle steeringwheel, and a locktherefor embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view, portions oi' the whee being broken away.

Figures 2 and 2" show in perspective, parts of the casing clamphereinafter dcscribed.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 ot Fig ure 1.

Figure 4i is a section on line lf-4 ot' Figure 1, certain parts beingomitted.

Figures 5, t3, 7 and 8 are front side views of the lock, thecoveriportion of the casing being removed, and the keeper shown insection.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 99 of Figure 5.

Figure 10 `is a perspective View of the bolt-carrying slide and thebolt.

Figure 1l is a perspective view of the locking-dog hereinafterdescribed.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

The lock casing includes a back 12, a Wall or curb 13, integral with theback, and a front plate or cover 14, secured to the curb by screws 10,shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

In this embodiment of the invention the `lock casing is ri idly secured,as herinafter described, to spo 'es l5 ot' the usual steeringwhecl, andthe usual fixed tubular post or bearing 1G, in which the steering-rod,carrying the steering-Wheel, is journaled, is provided With a keeper 17,having an arcuate series ot bolt-receiving orifices 18, each of Which isadapted to receive the locking bolt 20, which is movable in the casing,as hereinafter described, so that it may be pro- "ected from the casingand enter elther ori,- iice 1S, according to the position to which the`steeriing-wheel is left when it is locked.

The casingis formed internally to guide the forked siide (Figure 10) towhich the locking-bolt 2l) is tixed. Said slide includes a neck portion21, and parallel arms 22 and 23, and is in sliding contact with guides24;, formed by flattened portions of the curb or wall 13, the bolt beingmovable in a slot 25 (Figure et) in the wall 13.

The arm 22 is provided with an elongated inwardly projecting ear 26, andthe arm 23 with inwardly projecting studs 27, 27 and 2T", of which theremay be any desired numher, three being here shown.

A scre\vthreaded spindle 28, having a thnmb-knob 2) is supported by asleeve 30 (Figure i), having an internal screw-thi :ad 3l, engaging thespindle thread, and a thumb-knob 32, surrounding the spindle. The sleeve30 is journaled to rotate in the casing cover 14, and is provided withshoulders 33 (Figure A1) engaging the sides ofthe cover to preventendwise movement oi the sleeve.

The inner end of the spindle has a head 3i, from which project insubstantially opposite directions an ear-engaging tappet arm 35, and astud-engaging tappet arm 36. A spring 37, connected with a ixed stud 38,and with the arm 35, normally holds the arm 36 against a fixed stop 39(Figure 5). A swinging-dog having arms 40 and 41 is pivoted on a fixedstud 42, on the cover 14, and is normally held by a spring 43 in theposition shown by Figure 5, its arm 40 engaging the slide arm 22, andlocking the bolt against retraction from its projected position.

When the bolt is iully projected to lock the wheel 17, the parts are inthe relative positions shown by Figure 5, the tappet arm 3G being heldby the spring 3T against the stop 39, and the dog arm 40 being held bythe spring 43, against the slide arm 22, and confining the bolt in itsprojected position.

The studs on the slide arm 23 may have any desired relative arrangement,and their arrangement may differ in 'different locks, so that adifferent series of manipulations of the spindle will be required tounlock the wheel in each lock, the studs being arranged to be engagedsuccessively by the tappet arm 36, and each engagement of sald arm witha stud partly retracting the bolt. At the commencement of the unlockingoperation, the position of the spindle 28 lll ' pet arm 3th so that thenext is such that the stud QT in the path ot arm Q3, said shoe andspringbeing contained the tappet arm 36, and in the position shown by`dotted lines in Figure 4. Y

ln unlocking the wheel. the operator iii-stt-inns the spindle from theposition shown by Figure. 5, tov that shown by Figure G. This operationcauses the tsppet arm 3G to iirst engage the dog arm lll, and move thedog out oi engagement with the slide arm 22, shown by Figure G, so thatthe bolt to be retracted. The tappet arm 3 fte@ thenengages the stud 2T,and rctracts the bolt one step. The spindle is then released air1 is.turned bythe spring untilv the a. 86 is arrested bv the stop Z139. Thespintile is .then longit ":nally adjusted to the outer-,dotted line pc.Jtion shown by Figure Il, the path ot the tappet arm 3E), being thuschanged sothat the next turning of the spindle will cause said arm toengage the Qyand t lbf-1. bolt another ste D? as iown by Figure 7. Thespindle is again released, and the tappet arm 3G moved by Ithe springl3T againstl the stop 39. The spindle is agili longitudinally adjusted tothe inner dotted line position shown by Figure Ll-,to again change thepath oi' the tapturning ot the to the QTP, and complete the rmi-(rationol the bolt, es shown by Figure 8.. n

'.lo .project the bolt, the operator longitudinc-llyV adjusts thespindle to a position so locating the path ot the tappet arm 36. that itWill not engage either ot the studs, and thenturns the spindle backward,or in the direction ofthe arrow in Figure 8, thus causing the tappet arm35 to engage the zar 26 on the slide arm 22, and project the bolt., thesaid ear being' elongated,` so that it will vbe in the path of the arm35, in any longitudinal adjustment of the spindle.

.The number of 'turns ol the knob 32 and sleeve 30 required tolongitudinally adjust the spindle i8 to each ot the positions abovedescribed. is'indicated by registering means embodied in a click spring/1-5 (Figures 1, 2 and'tl), projecting trom the casing, and a stud lolined to the sleeve 30, and revolved thereby, the stud being arranged totier. the spring 4:5 in passing across the same. lli/Then the studreleases the spring, the latter snaps audibly back to its normal position, The Voperator is informed by the number of snaps, oraudiblesignals, when the spindle has been adjusted to bring)Y the tappetarm 3G to either of its operative positions.` The click spring ispreferably lined to abushing- 47, secured in an `orilice 48 inthe casingcover 14,115 shown by Fig ure 9.v To frictionally oppose looseV`downward movement of the bolt. I provide frietional means including a.shoe p 49 (Figure 5), pressed by a spring:r 50, against the slidespindle will cause said arm in a socket on one side ot the casing wall.125.

rlhe spindle 2S is guided in its longitudinal movements by a lixedsteady-pin 52, (Figures d and attachell lo the asing back 1Q, andprojectingl into a. longitudinal socket in the spindle.

To permit the securing ol'V the lock casing to the spokes ot thesteering-wheel. l provide the casing:r with a clamp including means forengaging` two adjacent spokes, as indicated by Figures 1, 2 and il, thear rangement being:r such that the casingl pro-- jects downward tronithe wheel at the hub portion thereof.

The clamp is preferably carried by the casing` cover 14., said coverbeing provided with an extension lei, projcctindl between the spokeslf3. On said extension is Aformed an integral clamping head 5l, arrangedlo bear on the upper sides olf the spokes and provided wrlh spokeceivingr recesses .35 (Firure 2"). :3b designates an independentclamping plate. formed to bear on the under sides ot the spol-L 1 belowthe head 5l. 'lhc arms and plate 5t', are (.onneclcd by clamping .lcrews:Ti (Figures 2 and 3). 'l'hc head 55., plate 5G. and screws 5Tconstitute clamp adapted to engage an ordinar)v steerinjjwbeel. withoutchange or adapta tion ol' the latter,

`The screws 5T may be originally lorlncd with extensions as shown bydotted lines in Figures Q and il. projecting above the clampingv heads ol the screwsl and adapted to be turned to drive the screws and then cutoli1 close to the clamping' heads. so that the screws cannotsulr-icquenlly he ennaned by a removing tool, the easingbeinn' thereforeinseparably secured to the wheel.

The keeper li" is segmental and ils inner side is formed to bear on onesido ol the post 1G. The keeper is provided with a post-cugrgaging clampincluding a shoe 5S), 'l'ormod to hear on the opposite side ol the post,and clamping; .screws (l0. securing the shoe to the keeper. The shoe maybe addi tionally secured to the post l a .set screw (Sl.

The keeper and its clamp thus constituted are adapted to be engaged withan ordinary post 16. without change or adaptation ot the latter. Theclamping screws (5() may be provided with extensions adapted tor use indriving the screws, and adapted to be cut oit to prevent the removal ofthe screws.

I claim:

1. A permutation lock comprising' a casing. a slide movable in avpredetermined path in the easing, and composed ol spaced apart arms anda connecting neck, one of said arms havingl a plurality of studs, andthe other an elongated ear, a bolt lixed to said neck and movable in aslot in the easing. an internally threaded sleeve journaled Sil Htl

in a bearing on the casing, an externally threaded spindle engaged withsaid sleeve, and having opposit-ely projecting tappet arms, one adaptedto cooperate with said studs in `rt-xtracting the bolt, and the otherai'lapted to engage `said elongated ear and project the bolt, saidspindle being longitudinally adjustable by thc sleeve, and a stop withinthe casing against which one of said tappet arms is yieldingly held, thearrangen'icnt being such that one oi the tappet arms is adapted toengage said stads sncccssively, to retract the bolt step-by-step whenthe spindle is turned in one direction, the other ta ppet arm beingengageable with said elongated car by a reverse turning of the spindle,to project the bolt, the lock comprising also registering means,including a click spring on said casing, and a stud on said sleeveadapted to cooperate with said spring in giving an audible signal.

2. A permutation lock comprising a casing, a slide movable in apredetermined path in the casing, and composed ot spaced apart arms anda connecting neck, one oi said arms having a plurality of studs, and theother an elongated ear, a bolt iixed to said neck and movable in a slotin the casing, an internally threaded sleeve journaled in a bearing onthe casing, an externally threaded spindle engaged with said sleeve, andhaving oppositely projecting tappet arms, one adapted to cooperate withsaid studs in retracting the bolt, and the other adapted to engage saidelongated ear and project the bolt, said spindle being lo11gitudinallyadjustable by the sleeve, and a stop within the casing against which oneof said tappet arms is yieldingly held, the arrangement being such thatone of the tappet arms is adapted to engage said studs successively, toretract the bolt step-by-step when the spindle is turned in onedirection, the other tappet arm being engageable with .said elon atedear by a reverse turning of thespinde, to project the bolt, the saidcasing being )rovided with frictional means engaging said slide, toprevent loose movement of the slide and bolt.

3. A permutation lock comprising a casing, a slide movable in apredetermined path in the casing, and composed of spaced apart arms anda connecting neck, one of said arms having a plurality of studs, and theother an elongated ear, a bolt lixed to said neck and movable in a slotin the cas* ing, a two-armed dog pivoted in the casing and normally heldwith one of its arms en gaging an arm of said slide to hold the holtprojected, an internally threaded sleeve journaled to :rotate in abearing on the casing, an externally threaded spindle engaged with saidsleeve, and having oppositely projecting tappet arms, one adapted tocooperate with said studs in retracting the bolt, and the other adaptedto engage said elongated ear and project the bolt, said spindle beinglongitudinally adjustable by the sleeve, and a stop within the casingagainst Ywhich one of said tappet arms is yieldingly held, thearrangement being such that one of the tappet arms is adapted to engagesaid studs successively, to retract the bolt stepby-step, by a rotationof the spindle in one direction, and to displace the dog when moved toengage the .first stud, the other tappet arm being engageable with saidear by a reverse rotation ot' the spindle, to project the bolt andpermit the engagement ot' the dog with the bolt.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

.FRANK DE CURTIS.

